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Tuesday 25 February 2025 20:49
Our Under-21s’ inaugural campaign in the National League Cup ended with a 3-0 defeat at Sutton United on Tuesday night.
With a much-changed team due to loans, first-team involvement and an upcoming FA Youth Cup fixture, a notably young United side showed moments of real quality in south London.
The hosts, who sit 13th in the National League, showed greater ruthlessness as they converted the majority of their chances to progress into the semi-finals.
It had been an excellent first campaign in the National League Cup for United, who held the best record in the competition with four wins and 12 goals scored in the group stages. Commiserations to our young Reds on defeat after a valiant effort.
United’s early possession, much of it in the final third, failed to create clear-cut chances. The combination play between forwards Amir Ibragimov and Jack Moorhouse — who are more accustomed to playing deeper on the pitch — showed promising signs, however.
Player-coach Tommy Rowe shot wide of the right post after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area, and Moorhouse followed soon after with a dribble of real quality. Quick touches with both feet helped the 19-year-old beyond the last man in defence but Sutton recovered well and forced Moorhouse wide. His shot was saved by the legs of the hosts’ goalkeeper Jack Sims.
Ibragimov shot next, from much further out. Driving inside from the left-wing on the counter-attack, he unleashed a thunderous strike that cannoned off the right post. United were left ruing how close he had gone as Sutton soon gained momentum. Sekou Kone put in one excellent block inside the area but couldn’t do anything when Tyler French brought down a looping left-wing cross, teeing up Finley Barbrook to control and finish through Rowe’s legs into the bottom left corner.
Amir Ibragimov’s powerful long-range shot against the right post was United’s best attempt of the first half.
United dealt with the setback well but couldn’t truly test Sims before the break and hit our first effort of the second half wide. Moorhouse once again showed excellent close control to get past his man in midfield, launching a United counter-attack with Ibragimov. Drifting wide to the right, Ibragimov waited for the late run of Thwaites before passing inside, but the eventual shot fizzed beyond the left post.
Thwaites’ next did force Sims into a save, but a comfortable one. It had been a flowing United move from defence, ending with Ibragimov chesting down a lofted cross and Thwaites unable to get sufficient power to beat Sims.
An injury to Finley McAllister disrupted United’s growing momentum, with Samuel Lusale his replacement, though Ibragimov’s right-wing cross forced a late clearance and Rowe shot wide after Kone’s tee-up. The senior Sutton side punished the young Reds again, scoring against the run of play when Nana Boateng tapped in French’s pull-back. The Us extended their advantage shortly after, launching a long ball which forced errors in the United backline, allowing Jack Wadham to finish past Will Murdock.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Murdock; Ogunneye, Fredricson (c), Kukonki (Plunkett 70), Murray; McAllister (Lusale 58), Kone, Rowe; Thwaites (Mills 70), Moorhouse, Ibragimov.
Unused subs: Myles.
Goals: Barbrook 27, Boateng 66, Wadham 69.
Attendance: 1,729
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Tuesday 25 February 2025 20:49
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